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15 Former WCW Stars Who Now Have Jobs Fans Wouldn't Believe

The death of WCW impacted the wrestling industry in more ways than one. Not only did WWE successfully get rid of its strongest competitor, but it also limited the options of professional wrestlers - especially in previous years when the independent scene wasn't quite as strong. And while many WCW stars were hired by WWE, not everyone was as fortunate to retain a high paying job as some had no option but to switch careers. Some were simply too old and not quite big enough as a draw to carry their careers in the WWE, while others didn't quite fit.

That's why many WCW stars opted to move on with their lives as they went through new careers that had very little to do with their past. Some were random to the extent where you may not believe it, but they all had bills tp pay after all. WCW has been dead for 17 years now so talents had to generate an income one way or another. Some carried on with their wrestling careers although it wasn't the main source of their income.

It is well known that WCW paid shocking salaries to its talents, especially if you happened to be a former WWE Superstar, veteran or well-connected behind the scenes. But those paychecks, as sweet as they may be, weren't going to last a lifetime. With today's list, we look at 15 former WCW stars who now have jobs you wouldn't believe.

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15 Ted DiBiase: Christian Minister

via espn.com

Most fans remember Ted DiBiase for his WWE run in which he became one of the company's top stars. Not many are quite as fond of his WCW stint where he worked for a number of years. He joined the company during the Monday Night Wars at a time when Eric Bischoff was recruiting so many former WWE stars. Given the unbelievable pay that talents were given, it was a no brainer for someone like DiBiase who jumped at the opportunity to earn one last major paycheck in his career.

DiBiase was preparing his transition outside of the wrestling industry in the late 90s during his final days in WCW. His church activities had significantly increased, and soon enough he became a Christian Minister.

He remains one as of today and it seems like DiBiase has been very satisfied with his post wrestling career. “I had a very strong faith when I was young, and I clung to it,” DiBiase said to the Winchester Star. If you happened to follow his WWE career, you probably didn't expect him out of all people to hold that position. But that goes to show how convincing his character had been at the time, and that we should never judge wrestlers by their gimmick.

14 Rick Steiner: Real Estate Agent

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Rick Steiner had a memorable WCW career and was one of the better stars to not join the WWE. Once the company refused to pick up his contract, he embarked on a new journey on the independent circuit as well as TNA. In 2004, he began to test the waters in his new career as a real estate agent, as he continued to make appearances for different companies. Within a few years, he had decided to quit the wrestling industry, dedicating his full attention to his new profession. Steiner has apparently been quite successful, even more so as a professional wrestlers.

Rarely does a wrestler go on to have more success in a different career, but Steiner has had quite the run after wrestling thus far. And while he hasn't officially retired from wrestling, his appearances have been very few and far between in the past decade. He has reunited with Scott Steiner from time to time for some good ol' tag team action, while also partaking in meet and greets. To this day, he has yet to appear again in the WWE with his last appearance being in 1994 when The Steiner Brothers left following a disagreement with Vince McMahon.

13 Buff Bagwell: Set To Retire From Wrestling

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From a prominent figure in WCW to a gigolo, Buff Bagwell had quite the transition. He was lucky enough to have his contract picked up by the WWE, and was even given a chance to main event Raw in a match against Booker T. But it would turn out to be disastrous, and Bagwell already had heat on him due to backstage issues, leading to his immediate release from the WWE. That didn't stop Bagwell from competing on the independent circuit, although he was never quite as successful again.

These days, you can find Bagwell making random cameos at bottom tier promotions, but that's no longer the main source of his income. A few years ago, Bagwell revealed that be had turned into a gigolo and was making plenty of money in his new profession. It is the highest income he has generated since his days in WCW and brief WWE run. That's probably why Bagwell has kept in shape after all these years since Buff needs the stuff in a profession like that. Now that he has found a new way to generate money, Bagwell probably isn't losing sleep over his practically dead wrestling career, which he is now set to end for good this summer.

12 Shawn Stasiak: Chiropractor And Motivational Speaker

via wwe.com

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Shawn Stasiak was somewhat unfortunate in his wrestling career as he was never given a true chance to succeed. He did manage to get over at times but not nearly enough to have a lengthy wrestling career. His debut came in 1996 and he was already retired after six years. It is unknown as to why Stasiak decided to call it a career so early on, especially since he had been the one to request his release from the WWE in 2002. It's likely due to his career having been stuck in mediocrity over that span.

Once he left the business, Stasiak embarked on a new journey as a chiropractor which he is still doing these days.

Not only that, but Stasiak also took on a side career as a motivational speaker. You could see him in action through several available clips on YouTube, as it appears that Stasiak can still cut a promo. Not many professional wrestlers move on permanently from the industry, but he was one of the few to have done so. He never looked back since then as he appears to be quite happy these days - even more so when he was on television on weekly basis.

Torrie Wilson was never a good wrestler, but she had what it takes to be successful in an era where appearance came first. From her days in WCW to WWE, it is quite impressive that she lasted in the industry for as long as she did. And she only called it a career once the injuries had taken their toll on her body, so she decided to move on with her life. Wilson continued to model after leaving the WWE, while also engaging in various ventures. These days, she is working as an online personal trainer through her personal website which she constantly promotes on Instagram.

Wilson claims that she personally looks out for her customers by providing them with the most suitable workout routines and diets, depending on their goals. She recently started a 30-day challenge initiative and by all accounts, her clients seem to be experiencing tons of success with it. She also blogs from time to time with most of her content being related to fitness. She recently made quite the impression upon her return at the 2018 Royal Rumble, dazzling fans with her fine looks. Considering that her social medial following increased afterwards, it is likely that her online business also benefited from the memorable cameo.

10 David Flair: Manager At Seal Wire Company

via twitter.com

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Rarely do we hear David Flair mentioned these days and there is a good reason for it. Not only did he fail to live up to the legacy of his father as a wrestler, but he was one of the worst performers to step inside a ring. Despite having been handed multiple opportunities to succeed and prove himself, Flair simply didn't what it takes to stick around in the industry once the hype around his last name had faded away. WCW made the mistake of putting David in the spotlight hoping he'd get over, rather than having him earn it first. It has been over a decade since he last competed in the squared circle, as he failed to keep his career once WCW died.

Thankfully, he wasn't unemployed for too long as he became involved in the family's company Seal Wire Company, where he currently serves as a manager far away from the limelight. Considering how little he showed during his WCW run, it was a wise move for Flair to abandon his wrestling career. As the son of arguably the greatest wrestler of all time, expectations were always going to be unbelievably high - and he clearly didn't have the talent nor charisma of his father.

9 DDP: Yoga Instructor

via ajc.com

In the past few years, Diamond Dallas Page has worked some wonders with his peers - helping them transform from terrible shape to a healthy lifestyle. He has been praised for assisting Scott Hall and Jake Roberts get back on their feet after they had struggled for quite some time. But DDP Yoga has been instrumental in helping plenty of people get back into shape with several classes being run by the man himself.

He was initially giving one on one training and consultations, but the program gained plenty of popularity in the industry - which is why DDP turned into an instructor to capitalize on the hype.

And it has worked out well for him as the DDP Yoga program has been one of the most successful ventures by any professional wrestlers to this date. Several athletes have adapted it - claiming that it also helped them immensely through various pains. Towards the beginning, a lot of people were somewhat skeptical when it came to DDP Yoga but he managed to prove all doubters wrong. At one point, he was arguably the most over face in WCW, so it's great to see him remain relevant with a new project.

8 Stevie Ray: Runs A Trucking Company

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As one half of Harlem Heat, Stevie Ray became one of the most successful tag team wrestlers of all-time after having won the WCW World Tag Team Championship 10 times with Booker T. Boasting an impressive resume, Ray isn't mentioned very often these days. That is mostly due to his choice to retire back in 2000 when he could have probably carried on for some more years. Although he did come out of a retirement a number of times, but never again as a full-time wrestler. You'll still see him wrestling occasionally in small promotions, as he's even reunited with Booker T at times for one-off matches.

Considering the success he has achieved outside of the wrestling business, he didn't exactly need to put his body on the line. It's been revealed that he runs a successful trucking company, which probably isn't the career that most fans would have expected for him. But it has paid off plenty for him as Ray hasn't needed to put on the wrestling boots many times since his initial retirement. These days, he is also hosting a podcast and a radio show - so it's safe to that he is keeping himself involved with all his various ventures.

7 Disco Inferno: Host At Vegas Club

Say what you want about Disco Inferno, you cannot deny that the man was very entertaining throughout his WCW run. He had some really memorable moments, establishing himself as one of the most charismatic low-carders. Not many wrestlers in his position could cut a promo as well as he did, which is why some fans were hoping to see him make the jump to the WWE.

But once the company refused to pick up his contract, Disco Inferno continued his career as he worked for various promotions around the world. To this day, he is still making random appearances every now and then although that's not exactly how he generates his main income. For the past few years, he has been a host at a gentlemen's club in Las Vegas known as Sapphire Gentlemen's Club. Disco Inferno is always promoting it on his Instagram with some enticing photos to say the least. He's always seemed like the happy, go-lucky kind of guy and seems to keep falling into interesting situations. And it seems like the place he hosts at is often visited by WWE Superstars due to the connection with him, as he has posted photos with Zack Ryder, Braun Strowman and many others.

6 Glacier: Producer For Marketing Agency

via wwe.com

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Glacier is one of the most remembered WCW wrestlers although not particularly for the greatest reasons. The company had invested plenty of money into him from his attire to entrance, and even shell out plenty of time hyping up his debut. And while they were hoping that he would become their next big star, expectations fell very short as the character flopped among fans. It was one of the moves that led to the initial drop off in WCW, although he would service as a low-tier wrestler until the demise of the company.

To this day, Glacier is still surprisingly active on the independent scene although his bookings have been very rare.

When he isn't doing his best Sub Zero impression inside the squared circle, Glacier is now kept busy with his new career as a producer for a marketing agency.

He revealed that piece of information during a brief WWE interview in which he spoke about his career and the latest news regarding his life outside of wrestling. Maybe now he can finally repay WCW all that money invested into his character that went to waste. Or, with the help of those in the agency, he could come up with a gimmick that's far more original than a Sub-Zero ripoff.

5 Meng: Runs A Detail Shop

via cagesideseats.com

Whether you know him as Meng or Haku, the majority of wrestling are likely familiar with him. His career has spanned decades as he remains active as of today although his appearances have gotten few in recent years. He was apart of New Japan Pro Wrestling in the past two years but that's not where he has been spending most of his time. When it comes to successful wrestlers, most fans wouldn't expect them to get a second career afterwards since they may not necessarily need to work.

But Meng has always kept himself busy even when he was still a full-time wrestler. In the past few years, he has dedicated more time than ever to his personal business as he runs a detail shop in his town. While he may not be so much in the limelight, Meng is doing extremely well thanks to his lengthy career as well as success outside of the business. Not all wrestlers are wise enough to invest their money into a personal business while they still can, but Meng was one of the few that made sure to set himself up for life. Knowing how tough he was/is in real life, we doubt anybody working for him dares to cross him.

4 Vito: Stunt Actor

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Vito may not have had the most memorable career, but his most successful stint came in WCW where he picked up the Hardcore Championship and World Tag Team Championship twice. He would go on to wrestle for nearly another decade before calling it a career, including a stint in WWE in which he was wearing dresses to the ring. These days, Vito seems to be keeping a very low profile although he does appear from time to time on Vince Russo's podcast. He was recently involved in a class action lawsuit against the WWE, as one of the many who accused the company of not treating concussions seriously, but not much else is known about what he has been up to.

As of the past few years, it seems like he has been attempting to switch careers by trying his hand in the acting business. Vito has served as a stunt actor and double for several films, including two that are coming out later this year. They aren't exactly high profile films, but at least he is still finding employment now that his wrestling career is over and on the lookout for various opportunities elsewhere. It's hard to tell what his next move will be.

3 Marco Mero: Motivational Speaker

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Marc Mero had a lengthy career that lasted 16 years with stints in some of the top professional wrestling companies including WWE, WCW and TNA. But once he called it a career in 2006, and moved on his from previous marriage to Sable, it looks like he decided to take up on a new career. He has become a published author with his book "How to be the Happiest Person on the Planet" - as Mero has been a motivational speaker for the past decade. From schools to various events, Mero can be seen anywhere serving as motivational speaker in hopes of reinforcing positive beliefs among listeners.

A quick YouTube search will display many of his videos, which show that Mero is a better motivational speaker than he was a wrestler.

That's not a dig at his wrestling career, but more so of a compliment towards his work in his other profession. With his powerful messages that are especially geared towards children, Mero is undoubtedly doing the most important of his work outside of the wrestling industry. Many of his videos have millions of views on YouTube, so it is quite the transition that he has managed to pull off.

2 Crowbar: Physical Therapist

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Crowbar is one of the very few wrestlers to have competed for WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA - quite a feat that only a couple of other stars can boast about. Considering that he won three different championships in his WCW career, you would think that Crowbar would have done better for himself once the company died, but he failed to earn a WWE contract again and wasn't exactly in hot demand elsewhere. That's why Crowbar had to switch careers early on to become a physical therapist, which he intended to do prior to his wrestling days. As of today, he is still very much in the same profession where he seems to have achieved even more success than he did in wrestling.

A few years ago, he conducted a brief interview with WWE regarding his whereabouts in which he spoke in details about his venture in the wrestling business, as well as his modern life outside of the industry. It's not exactly a bad gig to have at all considering that he now runs his own company, and seems to be well-respected in his new profession. He is another former WCW star who successfully transitioned mid-career without any hiccups.

1 Chuck Palumbo: Runs A Motorcycles And Car Business And Hosts A Series

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It's been four years since Chuck Palumbo last announced his retirement from professional wrestling, and it seems like he has done well for himself since then. Most fans haven't seen him since he was apart of the WWE roster back in 2008, although he did carry on for many years on the independent circuit. His claim to fame came in WCW where he achieved success as a four-time World Tag Team Champion - although his solo runs wouldn't quite be as fruitful.

Palumbo announced his retirement from wrestling around the same time in which he started hosting a television series, Lords of the Car Hoards in which he assisted in restoring classic cars and motorcycles.

Palumbo also owns a business known as CP Kustoms, which practically also does the same job he did on the series.

And while many former wrestlers continue to be active in some capacity, Palumbo has mostly remained away from all wrestling events in the past couple years. And he isn't exactly the type to conduct interviews, nor is he too active on social media, so it is quite a task to keep up with him these days.

All in all, these former WCW stars have done quite well for themselves.